


Meet the Parents

by AngelOfLorien



Series: The New Kid [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Awkward Tension, F/M, Family Bonding, Meeting the Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-05
Updated: 2019-10-05
Packaged: 2020-11-24 04:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,812
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20901314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelOfLorien/pseuds/AngelOfLorien
Summary: Brady gets her discipline from the IOA for the recklessness in Enemy at the Gate. Uncomfortable fun family times. Ronon doesn't take the distance well. John supervises a visit.





	Meet the Parents

** April 2009 **

Brady finished her third lap walking around the city and went to the Control Room to see Amelia. Her friend wasn’t there so she talked to Chuck, who was working on a power console. After she peppered the engineer with questions for several minutes, Chuck looked at Brady.

“Dr. Thatcher, I’m not trying to be rude, but I have a lot of work to do here. Is there something in particular that you need?”

“No, not really. Just restless. I’m sorry to bother you.”

“I know you’re bored, but the word is the lockdown will be lifted soon. Maybe you can take a real vacation or something.”

“Maybe. Can you imagine Ronon at Disney World?” she asked with a laugh.

Chuck grimaced. “He’d be the first person ever to take a shot at Goofy.”

Brady laughed again and stood up. “I’ll let you get back to work. Have you seen Sheppard?”

“Maybe in the brig? He’s been spending a lot of time talking to that Wraith.”

Brady sighed. “Are we still on radio silence?”

“Yep. The IOA says since we’re so close to shore that there might be security issues with our frequencies.”

“Guess I’ll just go look for Carson,” she said. “Thanks, Chuck.”

“No problem,” he said, sliding back under the control panel.

\--

“I can’t see my toes,” Brady said, looking down her body but seeing only belly. She was laying on an exam bed with her arms propped beneath her head.

“They’re still there, I assure you.”

She lifted her head and looked drolly at Carson, who offered her a dimpled smile in return. She huffed a sigh and lay back down. “How much bigger is this thing gonna get?” she asked, lightly rubbing the round swell.

“A little bigger yet,” Carson said. “Are you sure you don’t want to know the sex of the baby?” He wiggled his eyebrows. “I can tell you. It’s exciting.”

“Yes, I want to know!” Brady whined. She held up her hands. “But don’t tell me! Ronon made a deal that if we leave it a secret then he’ll change diapers for the first two months.”

“Och, well that’s a deal I won’t be responsible for breaking,” Carson said, tucking away his scanner. “In that case, you’ve got a little over two months left ‘til you can see for yourself. When do you leave?”

“Leave?” Brady asked, taking his hands so he could pull her into a sitting position. “Leave for what? Has lockdown been lifted?”

“Um…have you not spoken with Mr. Woolsey?”

“No. I didn’t know he was back onboard. Has lockdown been lifted?” she asked again. “I’m ready to get outta here—to go somewhere other than SGC or one of the outposts. I haven’t had a job in months.”

“You know how the IOA operates. Everything takes time. I’m sure you will be able to go soon.”

The oddness in his voice made Brady look at him, and she saw the sadness in his eyes. She could have slapped herself for being so stupid. “Oh, Carson. I’m sorry. I didn’t think about the fact that you can’t go home.”

“I’ve come to terms with it,” he said, trying for a smile. “I have been told though that once lockdown is lifted, I can go anywhere in the continental US for a visit. At least the Air Force isn’t going to keep me at Cheyenne Mountain forever.”

“How much longer do you think it will be? And when do you think we will get back to Pegasus?”

“I don’t know, love. We have to be patient.”

Brady snorted and made a face. “Patient schmatient. I’ve got a human being living inside my body, taking my food, and tap-dancing on my bladder. My patience is otherwise engaged,” she said with a chuckle. She slid from the bed and tugged her t-shirt down over her belly. “Ok, so back to what you said earlier—what about me seeing Woolsey?”

“Go and talk to him,” Carson said. “I’m not going to be the messenger this time.”

“I’m not going to like this, am I?”

“Depends. No,” he said as she started to protest. “I’m not saying anything else.” He ushered her to the door and gently pushed her into the hall. “Have a lovely day, dear.”

Brady stepped back as the infirmary door whooshed closed. Curious—and just a bit apprehensive—she went to Woolsey’s office. She gave two quick raps on the door and stuck her head inside. “Carson said you wanted to see me?”

Woolsey looked up from his desk and nodded. “Oh, yes. I’d hoped to catch up with you sooner, but it’s a big city and the radio silence makes it tough.” He waved her in and pointed to a chair. “Have a seat, Dr. Thatcher.”

She didn’t bother telling him to call her Brady. He only did it occasionally and he seemed to be in an official-like mood, so she sat and looked at him expectantly. Maybe he had some work for her to do.

Woolsey adjusted his glasses and signed a paper on his desk before handing it to her. “Sign this.”

“What is it?” Brady asked, skimming the paper.

“It’s a consent form,” Woolsey said. “Maternity leave. I was able to persuade the IOA to grant you sabbatical—“

“Maternity leave?” Brady put the paper down, shaking her head. “I can’t just take off. I mean, what if the ship gets fixed?”

“This ship isn’t going anywhere for quite some time.”

“Am I being fired?”

“Of course not!” Woolsey said, sounding like an aggravated father. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Well, excuse me, sir, but it sure as hell sounds like it. I know I broke about a thousand rules when I went onto that Hive, but—“

“This decision has nothing to do with that.”

“But the IOA never sent down any kind of punishment and they aren’t exactly the most forgiving of sorts.”

“The incident was never officially reported,” Woolsey said, surprising her. “Emotions were high, given the situation, so errors were made. I trust such disregard will not happen again, so I felt no need to report it.”

“Th-thank you,” Brady stuttered, shocked. “I…don’t know what to say.”

“What you’d better say is ‘thank you for getting me this leave form’.”

“I can’t just leave Atlantis,” Brady said. “Where am I supposed to go?”

“Visit your family. Take time off. It doesn’t have to be until the baby is born. Just take a month.” He saw her hesitation and put on his game-face. “It’s not negotiable, doctor. Your plane leaves first thing tomorrow morning and your access cards will be cancelled for at least a month. Contact me then and I will reinstate them.”

“What about Ronon? Is he coming too?”

Woolsey averted his eyes briefly and cleared his throat. “No. I’m sorry. He isn’t cleared to leave until lockdown is officially lifted.”

“So I _have_ to go. There’s no getting out of this?”

“Nope,” Woolsey said, straightening papers on his desk. “You leave tomorrow at 0800.”

Brady sighed and slunk out of the office. She headed to the mess hall where she saw Ronon and Sheppard drinking in the corner. She eyed Sheppard’s tall frosted mug. “Are you off duty?”

“Yep,” he said, stretching his legs and stacking his hands behind his head. “I gotta admit, it’s the one upside of being back. There aren’t all that many threats, so I can delegate shifts. Lorne’s on call.”

“You ok?” Ronon asked, tugging her down to sit on his lap.

“No. They’re making me leave.” The two men were quiet, so Brady turned to look at them. “I have to leave Atlantis,” she explained, in case they missed it.

“We know,” Sheppard said.

“What?”

“Carson told us. Look, relax,” Sheppard said. “You go home for a few weeks, pet the dog, eat some pie, and then you’re back here. And with any luck, McKay will be around to deliver your baby. It can be a new tradition.”

Ronon scoffed. “Not gonna happen.”

Sheppard saw the downtrodden expression on her face and leaned forward, catching her eye. “Brady, you are an irreplaceable member of this expedition. You have my word that we will not leave you behind.”

“Oh, I know that,” she said with a sigh. “It’s just, I have to go see my parents.”

“Most people are happy to have the opportunity to see their loved ones, especially with this job.”

“I am. I mean, of course I am. It’s just that…well…my parents, they aren’t exactly up-to-date on certain things.”

“They don’t know you’re on Earth, or, you know, back on home soil?” Ronon asked.

“No, I emailed them and told them I was back in the States. They, um…they don’t know that I’m pregnant.”

“You never told them you were pregnant?!” Sheppard asked.

“Well, no! I mean, it’s not really the kind of thing I could’ve worked into conversation with my mom, ya know?”

“Did you not think that they might notice the kid with you next time you _did_ go home?”

“I had a plan.”

“This I can’t wait to hear,” Ronon muttered.

“Adoption.” At Ronon and Sheppard’s confused looks, she sighed. “I was going to tell them that I adopted a baby while I was on duty. It was a good idea!” she insisted when Sheppard facepalmed.

“And just what were you going to say if the kid ends up looking like you?” he asked. “It’s just crazy random happenstance?”

“Please,” Brady said dismissively. “My genes are gonna get demolished by Ronon’s. You won’t be able to tell I had any part in the baby process.”

Ronon’s expression was unreadable, but Sheppard was looking at her as if she were a complete moron. “Brady, are you a complete moron?”

“Look, there’s no point in getting into a big argument,” she said with a sniff, jutting her chin. “It’s a moot point now. What am I going to do?”

“I know I’m not from your world, so I probably don’t know what I’m talking about,” Ronon said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “But how about you _tell your family you are pregnant_,” he said, emphasizing each word.

Brady sighed. “Well, it’s not like I have much of a choice now, do I?” she muttered, lightly slapping his leg. She stood and playfully tugged one of his dreads. “I’m off to email my mom.” She looked at Sheppard and pursed her lips. “And there’s no way he can get around this ridiculous lockdown?”

“Sorry, kid,” Sheppard said. “He’s stuck with me until…whenever. But, you have my word, I’ll ship him over as soon as we’re cleared.”

Brady nibbled her lip as she thought. “Hm. Make sure you call me first. I’ll have to give my mom and dad plenty of heads up. After this,” she said, bending over poking her stomach out even more, “they might not be up to meeting my lover from another galaxy.”

“I’ll come help you pack,” Ronon said as she walked away. He looked at Sheppard. “She’ll be ok, right? Out there away from Atlantis?”

“She’ll be fine,” Sheppard assured him, taking a long drink. “She’s going to her folks’ house. What’s the worst that could happen?”

\--

Her brain was going to explode.

Brady sat in front of her parents’ house in her rented Ford Fiesta—a stupid name for the ridiculous vehicle—and stared up at the house she’d grown up in, wondering if there was some way out of her current predicament. She loved her family, her parents and her weird little brother. Her older sister…eh. Sometimes. But she’d just been home a year or so ago and she talked to her mom and dad and Marshall through emails all the time, so it wasn’t as if she never communicated with them.

She heaved out a gusty sigh as her mind raced. After another moment, the screen door opened and her mother stepped out, looking every bit as suburbanite-momish as she had when Brady had left home after college.

“Stop being a coward,” she scolded herself. “Thundercats are go.”

She opened the door to the neon blue Fiesta and slid out, hoping the oversized hoodie hid some of her preggo belly. She’d emailed her mom and gotten everything squared away for her mandatory visit, but she couldn’t bring herself to spill the beans about the baby via email.

She wished now she had.

Her mother’s face split into a huge smile as she stepped off the porch. Brady didn’t want to see the disappointment that was bound to come.

Jim and Jane Thatcher were two of the most respectable people in town. Her dad owned the town market and her mom worked part-time at the bank. They attended church every Sunday and made fruit baskets for the old people in the nursing home at Christmas. Her sister, Tracy, had married her high school sweetheart after graduating college and now lived the perfect life. She had a happy marriage, a high-paying job, and beautiful kids. She was five years older than Brady and her exact opposite. Her mom was forever raving over Tracy, and regardless of the fact that Brady was literally a genius, she’d just never really felt like measured up. Even in high school, when she’d been bumped up to the same grade as Tracy, she’d still been mocked and picked on by the normal people. The only one who’d even come close to being as black sheepish as her was Marshall, and that was more because he was so flippin’ weird. Still, he was the baby of the Thatcher clan so that gave him a little bit of leeway.

Brady sighed and smiled at her mom as she stepped around the car and opened her arms for a hug. Now she had the joy of seeing the look of abject disappointment on her mom’s face—and later, her dad’s—when they found out that somehow amidst her super top-secret government job that kept her away from home all the time, she’d gone out and gotten herself pregnant.

“Oh, my baby. My baby,” Jane crooned, rocking her as she hugged her tightly.

“Hey, mom. How’re you doing?”

“Great, now that you’re finally here!” Jane said, pulling back and cupping Brady’s face in her hands. “Let me look at you. Oh, you’ve changed just since the last time we saw you. You’re hair’s shorter and—“ She gasped as her eyes landed on Brady’s stomach.

_Here it comes_, Brady thought, lowering her eyes and examining her fingertips. She jolted as her mother laid a hand on her belly and jerked her gaze up to meet Jane’s tear-filled eyes.

“Oh…honey,” Jane said, smiling and covering her mouth with her fingers. She laughed and choked on her tears. “Oh, honey, a baby!” She pulled Brady into her arms and rubbed circles on her stomach. “Congratulations. Oh, why didn’t you say anything in your emails?” she asked, pulling back and looking at her daughter.

Brady was confused. “Um…why aren’t you upset?”

“Upset? Why would I be upset?” Jane asked. Concern filled her eyes and she took Brady’s hand. “Are you upset? Did you and your boyfriend not plan on getting pregnant?”

“What? No. I mean, yes, no, we weren’t planning on it. But we’re both happy. It’s just…why are you? Parents are usually kinda upset when their unwed daughters show up pregnant, aren’t they?”

Jane planted her hands on her hips and pinned her daughter with the look of reprimand that Brady had inherited. “Brady Leigh Thatcher, do you really think I am stuck in the Stone Age? You are an intelligent young woman. You’ve lived away from home for a long, long time and I know those people in Colorado took a shine to you and taught you how to look after yourself. Your boyfriend has a steady job with you—whatever it is. You aren’t strung out on drugs and you aren’t going to sell your baby on the black market, so why on Earth wouldn’t I be happy? Heck, a grandbaby is a grandbaby!”

Brady felt as if the world had been lifted from her shoulders. She smiled and pulled her mother in for a hug. Tears pricked her eyes but she sniffed and held them back. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just didn’t know how, you know, over email.”

“Never mind that now. Save it for your dad,” Jane said with a grin. “He might be a little more bothered, but it’ll just be because it means you had sex. He got bent out of shape with Tracy both times.” She looped her arm through Brady’s, leading her toward the house. “Honey, I’m so glad you’re home. It’s been too long.”

They went into the house and Jane let go of her arm, walking to the edge of the stairs and cupping her hands over her mouth. “Marshall! Your sister’s here! Come get her luggage and put it in your room!” She looked at Brady and smiled. “You’ll have to take Marshall’s bed. Hope that’s ok.”

“That’s fine. I hate that he has to give up his bed, though. The couch will be fine, I’m sure.”

“It will be, for him,” Jane said, her tone booking no room for argument.

Brady turned at the sound of shuffling footsteps on the stairs and smiled up at her little brother. At fifteen, Marshall Thatcher was a carbon copy of his sister, minus the womanly figure. His dark red hair was messy and in need of a trim, and his eyes were the exact shade as Brady and their mother’s. He was wearing a Day-Glo shirt with the words TELL YOUR BOOBS TO STOP LOOKING AT ME written across it.

“I thought I asked you to throw that shirt away,” Jane said, arching a brow at him.

“I don’t wear it to school or anything,” Marshall said. He looked at Brady and raised his eyebrows. “Jesus, who’d you eat?”

She laughed as he hugged her and pulled him down into a headlock. Jane swatted at him and tisked.

“Your sister is pregnant, Marshall.”

“Last I heard, babies don’t grow in the face area,” he said, shrugging out of Brady’s hold. He puffed out his cheeks and held his hands out.

Jane shook her head. “Go get her stuff, please. Thank you.” She looked at Brady and smiled. “So where _is_ your boyfriend? Ronon, isn’t it? Why didn’t he come with you?”

“She ate him, apparently,” Marshall called as he shut the door.

“Luggage, Marshall.”

Brady laughed and absently rubbed her stomach. “Ronon is back at base, ma. He’s not up for leave right now.”

Jane grunted in disappointment. “I was hoping when you said you were coming that we’d finally get to meet him. Oh well. You’re grandma is coming in a few days, and Tracy and the kids will be here this weekend.”

“Mom, you didn’t have to go through the trouble of getting everybody here.”

“Please,” Jane snorted. “Like your grandmother wouldn’t kick my butt if I didn’t let her know you were here?”

“Still…”

“Don’t worry about it,” Jane said, waving away Brady’s concern. “Now, let’s get to the kitchen and whip up something good for dinner. Having those military folks feed you hasn’t made you lose your touch, I hope. You still know how to cook?”

Brady smiled. “Yes, I still know how to cook.”

“Good. Come on.”

\--

Brady climbed through the bedroom window and sat on the slant of the roof as she had done countless times as a kid. She pulled out her SGC-sanctioned cell phone, dialed the scrambling code to get a secure signal, and called the director’s line. The phone was answered on the first ring.

“Woolsey.”

“It’s Brady. How are things?”

Woolsey let out a breath in what sounded like a half laugh, half sigh. “You’ve only been gone for a day, Dr. Thatcher. Atlantis is still standing. How is the real world?”

“Relatively uneventful. Nobody’s taken a shot at me and nothing has threatened to blow up. I’m out of my element,” she teased. “I don’t suppose Ronon is standing around nearby, is he?”

“It just so happens that he is talking to Amelia right outside.” Woolsey was quiet for a moment. “You told him about what time you would call, didn’t you?”

Brady cleared her throat. “Maybe.”

“Brady, you do realize that this is not Love Connection, right? You can’t use the official line to talk to—“

“Come on, Richard. Please don’t lecture. I’ve had a long day and I just want to talk to Ronon. It’ll just be a minute, I promise.”

Woolsey sighed disapprovingly, but finally muttered a short, “Hold on.” A moment later Ronon’s voice came over the line. Brady closed her eyes and leaned back against the roof.

“Hey, you.”

“Hey you,” Ronon said. “How’s India?”

Brady smiled. “Indi_ana_,” she corrected. “It’s good. Very…normal. Oh! My parents are excited about the baby. They wish you were here so they could meet you.”

“Sheppard says I dodged a bullet, whatever that means.”

“Sheppard is an ass,” Brady mumbled with a scoff of laughter. “Any word on when you’ll be allowed out?”

“Nothing yet. Miss you,” he said, surprising her.

“I miss you too, babe. Know what I miss most?” she asked, her voice taking on a seductive quality.

“What do you miss most?”

“Your mouth. I miss the way it looks. I miss the way it tastes.” She chuckled huskily as she heard Ronon’s breathing hitch. “I miss the way it feels when it touches my—“

“Excuse me, Porn Princess,” Marshall said, sticking his head out the window.

“God, Marshall!” Brady exclaimed, thumping a hand to her chest as she flinched. “Get out! I’m on the phone!”

“Believe me, I don’t want to stick around listening to you have phone sex with your baby daddy. Mom told me to tell you that your blankets are in the closet at the end of the hallway.”

“Message delivered,” Brady said. “Thanks, Marsh.” She lifted the phone and cleared her throat. “Um…so…”

“Woolsey’s making the wrap-it-up sign, so I guess I’ve gotta go,” Ronon said.

She sighed. “Ok, fine. Look, I’ll call back in a couple of days. Love you.”

“You too,” he said.

Brady flipped her phone closed and crawled back through the window to get ready for bed.

\--

“Hey, Doc McPreggers, Tracy's here.”

Brady looked up from her computer screen and smiled at Marshall. “How's she seem?”

Marshall shrugged. “Normal, I guess. Like an uptight b--”

“Okay, okay.” Brady sighed and pulled her glasses off, dropping them onto her keyboard and rubbing her eyes. “What about the kids?”

“No kids. They're with Larry. Something about Girl Scouts meetings or something? I dunno. I sorta go blank whenever she talks about the Stepford famliy.”

Brady snorted and groaned. “This is gonna be fun, isn't it, Marsh?”

He shrugged again. “At least Grammie G is here. Maybe she'll keep Tracy off your back.”

“What about you? What?” she asked when Marshall laughed.

“I live for this crap, dude. Do you know how much fun it is to wind her up?”

Brady grinned mischievously. “You know, I like you.”

“Mom says I act like you. Ya know, except for being wicked smart.”

“You're smart.”

“Hell yeah I'm smart,” he said with a scoff. “Still, I'm not skipping grades and crap.”

Jane's voice rang up the stairs. “Brady! Your sister's here!”

“Coming!”

She ran a hand through her hair and stood, straightening the oversized button-down shirt she'd stolen from Ronon. She mentally prepped herself for the barrage of condescension that was bound to come. Her mom and dad were okay with her being pregnant by someone they'd never met, but Tracy had always been more concerned about the opinions of others. News of her pregnancy had spread around town—with hearty congratulations from most people—but Tracy would no doubt be horrified.

Brady rubbed her lower back as she descended the stairs, pasting a smile on her face as she entered the kitchen. “Hey,” she drawled.

“Brady,” Tracy said, giving her a polite smile. She crossed and hugged her, drawing back and looking at her stomach. The smile slid from her face and her eyebrows rose. “Oh.”

“Surprise,” Brady said. “I take it mom didn't say anything?”

“Um, no. No, she didn't.” Tracy cast a chiding look at Jane before looking back to Brady. “How did this happen?”

“Well, when a man and a woman love each other--”

“Of course you'd make a joke right now.”

“Wow, two whole minutes without being annoyed by something I do. That's gotta be a new record.”

“Spare me the smart-mouthed attitude, Brady. For once in your life, can you please take something seriously?”

“That escalated quickly,” Marshall said from the doorway.

“Okay, you haven't seen me in quite a while, so you don't get to tell me I don't take things seriously. You don't know what I do, Tracy.”

“I know you obviously sleep around when you aren't avoiding your responsibilities to your family.”

“Responsibilities? What are you talking about?”

“I'm talking about dad being in the hospital with severe pneumonia, or mom being laid up for six weeks with a broken ankle. Meanwhile, it's me who checks in on them. Me who sees if they need anything. While you're off on whatever job you tell mom you have, it all falls to me to take care of things around here.”

“Excuse me, Mother Teresa, but I'm not exactly a helpless infant,” Marshall chimed.

Brady ignored him. “I didn't know any of that was going on.”

“That's exactly what I'm saying. You have no idea the responsibilities that go with a family. You float along thinking you're so above everything because of your supposedly important job and your high intelligence. Well, pardon me if I'm a little concerned that you are obviously bringing a child into the world who you will be solely responsible for!”

“Well excuse me if I'm not an expert life-juggler like you, Tracy!”

“Stop it, both of you,” Jane barked from the table. “For God's sake, girls, you've only been around each other for ten minutes.”

“It's good for them, Jane,” Grammie G said, shuffling into the kitchen. She kissed Brady's cheek and patted Tracy on the back. “Go on, girls. No hitting, though.”

“I'm done,” Tracy said. She sneered at Brady. “Congratulations.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Why don't y'all put that hostility to good use and start chopping these vegetables,” Grammie said, tossing a bag of carrots to Brady. She handed a stalk of celery to Tracy. “Assuming you can handle knives without trying to stick each other in the ear hole.”

“I got it,” Brady said, pulling out a chair and sitting next to her mom. “You didn't tell me that you and dad have been sick.”

“There wasn't much you could do from the Sudan or whatever. Besides, you have enough on your mind.”

Tracy muttered something from the sink, but everyone ignored her. The kitchen fell into silence, with the exception of their chopping.

“Oh yeah, this is gonna be a fun weekend,” Marshall said, rolling his eyes.

–

“Hey you.”

“Hey you,” Brady said, leaning back onto the roof and covering her eyes with her arm. She held the phone close to her, as if the press of the metal would somehow transport her into the arms belonging to the voice on the other end.

“What's wrong?” Ronon asked.

“Hm? Nothin'. How're things back home?”

“Boring. What's wrong?”

“Nothing's wrong, Ronon,” she trilled, forcing a chuckle. “I'm fine.”

“You suck at lying. Tell me what's wrong or I'll just have to break outta here and track you down.”

She sighed. “My sister got here today.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.” Brady lifted her arm and looked up at the stars. She'd talked about her family with Ronon occasionally, but, unfortunately, she'd never had many positive things to say about Tracy. “It was...interesting.”

“She upset you?” His voice lowered the way it was prone to do when he was feeling territorial. Brady smiled.

“I'm fine. It's pretty normal. Grammie G keeps us in check when mom doesn't, so nothing's gotten too out of control. On the upside, Tracy's husband isn't here being all arrogant douchebag, so that's a good thing. I'd hate to have to kick his butt and blow my cover as a badass warrior chick.”

“You work in a language lab translating artifacts.”

“Yeah, _and_ I am a highly trained fighting machine.”

“You are.”

“I am,” she said, nodding. She laughed. “See how agreeable you are when I'm a million miles away? Does that mean you miss me?”

“Guess so.”

“I miss you too. More than I figured I would.”

“It's quiet around here. Too quiet. I don't like it. Nobody yapping in my ear all the time, nobody keeping me awake at night...it's weird.”

“I promise, as soon as this forced leave is over, I will keep you awake every night for a year.”

“Promises, promises.”

She chuckled huskily, lightly running her hand over her swollen belly. She pressed a hand to the side and felt a little flutter beneath the skin. She smiled. “Baby says hi. I think she knows I'm talking to you.”

“She?”

“Unofficially, buddy. Don't think you're getting out of that diaper duty.” She heard voices in the background and closed her eyes. “Time to go, huh?”

Ronon sighed. “Yeah. We have to keep things short. Some kind of Earth protocols. They're a lot more uptight around here than I remember.”

“I guess I'll let you go. I don't want to get you into trouble, and I definitely don't want to make it so I can't call you. I'd go crazy, I think, if I was stuck out here without being able to talk to one of you.”

“It won't come to that.”

“I know. I'm just getting antsy. I mean, it's close to go-time with the baby and--”

“Beckett told me you've got plenty of time. Just don't get all worked up.”

“I'll try not to. I love you, ya know.”

“Yeah, me too.”

Brady smiled. “Some of the boys are around, huh?”

“Maybe. I'll talk to you later.”

“Okay. Behave.”

Ronon chuckled. “Maybe.”

Brady hung up the phone and tucked it into her pocket, stacking her hands behind her head. Her eyes filled with tears which trickled from the corners as she thought about her families, both here and on Atlantis. A falling star shot across the night sky, heightening her feelings of loneliness.

“You okay?”

Brady sniffed and wiped her eyes, turning her head to look at Marshall, who was leaning out the window. “Yeah, fine. What's up?”

Marshall crawled out onto the roof and sat, cross-legged, next to his sister. “Don't get me wrong, I know I'm not a genius with the ladies, but usually tears and snot means you're not fine.”

“Just a lot going on, ya know? What with the baby hormones and all.”

“You scared?”

“I'm terrified,” Brady admitted. “Still, my coworkers are a good group, and my boyfriend, or whatever. It's not like I'll be alone. Hey, Marsh? Is it bad around here? Like, how much does mom not tell me?”

Marshall gave a characteristic shrug. “Probably a lot. It's not so bad, but she doesn't like to tell you when they're sick or whatever. On the upside, they're pretty resilient for a couple of old folks. Trace made it seem like they both had one foot in the grave, but she was just being dramatic. Probably all the stress from being married to Larry and birthing Satan's offspring.”

Brady laughed. “Yikes.”

“You ever seen _Village of the Damned_? It's kinda like that. They just sit and...” He widened his eyes, turning his head slowly to look at her. “Watch. They're creepy as hell, I'm not gonna lie. And they're little a-holes like Larry. I mean, you know Tracy isn't my favorite person, but she's at least our sister, so every now and then she's okay. Her kids, though...like, zero redeeming qualities.”

“Don't sugar coat it, Marshall. Tell me how you really feel.”

He grinned and looked up at the sky. They fell into a comfortable silence. “So, what is it you do, exactly?”

“I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.”

“Because you're a badass warrior chick?”

“You were eavesdropping? You little punk.”

“Hey, I was just surfing for porn like any other teenager. You're the one hanging out outside my bedroom window talking to your top secret boyfriend.”

“Can you keep a secret? Like, for real? Because I could get into serious, _serious_ trouble for telling you.”

“Who'm I gonna tell?”

Brady chewed her lip, warring with herself. She could get fired—probably imprisoned or something—if word got out about the Stargate program. She looked at her little brother, at his hopeful expression, his eyes begging for someone to treat him like he wasn't six years old. “Ok, here's what's up. And I promise you with all that's in me, by all that's holy, if you tell anyone--”

“I'm not gonna tell! Come on, man, you're freaking me out!”

“I work for a top secret US military program whose objective is to send teams of military scientists to foreign planets in order to form alliances and obtain advanced technology.”

Marshall blinked at her and shook his head. “I thought you were seriously gonna tell me some cool secret.”

“I did.” She looked at him and he stared back.

“No.”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah.”

“Foreign planets?” he scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“For a little over three years, I've been stationed in another _galaxy_. The Pegasus.”

“And your baby daddy just swings to another galaxy for the occasional conjugal?”

“Actually...” She winced. Might as well go all in. “He's sort of from there. He's from a planet called Sateda. It was sorta like 1930s NYC, from what I can tell. Only with bigger guns.” She frowned. “And spaceships.”

“You're being serious right now, aren't you?” Marshall asked after a moment.

“Completely.”

“So you've got like, an alien baby? Holy crap, is it gonna do like on_ X-Files_?”

“No!” Brady laughed. “Ronon is human, just from a different planet.”

“So no tentacles or anything?”

“My best friend is my doctor on base. He says the baby is 100% human. You can relax.”

“So what would happen if they knew you were telling me this stuff?” Marshall wondered. He sobered. “You'd get in a lot of trouble, huh?”

She nodded. “Yeah.”

“Jail trouble?”

“At least.”

“So...so why'd you say anything? You coulda just told me to mind my own business, or ignored me.”

“I dunno,” Brady shrugged. “I guess I just needed to tell someone. And you're enough like me that I know you won't say anything to anyone. People already think you're screwed up enough,” she teased.

Marshall gave her a crooked grin. “Hey, I'm not the one fornicating with ET.”

–

“Hand me that socket wrench.”

Brady nudged back the bill of her Red Sox cap and rifled through her dad's tool box, passing him the wrench he requested. “When do you think she'll be ready?”

“Oh, we got a little ways yet,” Jim said, squinting up at Brady and returning her knowing smile. He'd been saying the same thing for years. Sometimes she wondered if he kept the truck around just so he'd have an excuse to get out of the house and lock himself in the barn. “So your mom says your fella's coming in today.”

Brady smiled happily and bit her lip. “Yep, he is. You'll really like him, dad. He's pretty great.” Jim grunted and rolled back under the truck. Brady rolled her eyes. “I mean it. I know this isn't exactly ideal,” she said, poking out her belly, “but we took our time with our relationship and we've been through a lot together. We're not officially married, but we might as well be, I guess.”

Jim crawled out and propped up on his elbows. “I know you're not trying to talk me into being happy about all this.”

“Dad--”

“Brady, lemme lay it out for you like this. I love you. Always will. And I love that baby. But I'm your father, and I will never be okay with you being off on the other side of the world where I can't keep an eye out for you, and I will never be okay with you growing up. And I ain't gonna like your fella, because he's the one who did this to you. No,” he said, holding up a hand when she would speak. “No, now I ain't going to argue with you, I'm just telling you that it's a rule in the Father's Handbook—'thou shalt not like thy daughter's boyfriend, especially if he gets her pregnant before they're married'. I didn't write the rule, it's just how it is.” He rolled back under the truck. “Hand me that flat head screwdriver.”

Brady chuckled and slapped the screwdriver into his outstretched palm. “I love you, dad.” She heard the crunch of gravel in the driveway, the hum of a car engine, and felt a streak of excitement. “Omigod, daddy, I'll be right back. Ithinkthey'rehere!”

She hopped over Jim's legs and ran out of the barn. A big, dark SUV sat in front of the house behind her rental Fiesta. The front door opened and Sheppard got out of the driver's seat, lifting a hand in greeting. Brady hurried across the yard to the vehicle as quickly as the baby would allow, throwing her arms around her friend's neck.

“Jeez, take it easy,” Sheppard said with a laugh, hugging her. “It's only been a couple of weeks.”

“Where's Ronon?”

“He's asleep in the back,” Sheppard said, jerking his thumb toward the SUV. “We took a detour when we landed in Indianapolis to get him a little more presentable for your folks, but once we hit the interstate he crawled back there. Surprisingly, he doesn't ride well. Like a fussy toddler.”

Brady smiled and jerked open the passenger door, lifting her brows at Ronon's appearance. His dreds were gone, his hair cut short and sticking up in places as if he'd been running his hands through it. It looked soft and had a slight wave, and Brady couldn't wait to run her hands through it too. His khaki cargo pants looked like they'd be baggy, but his gray Henley stretched across his chest like a second skin. _Ooohhh yeah,_ Brady thought, arching her brow. She leaned over his reclined seat and pressed her lips against the tattoo on the side of his neck. He flinched, reflexively bringing a hand to the back of her neck as he awakened. Brady leaned back with an impish grin.

“Hey you.”

“Hey you,” he said, stretching. He unfolded himself from the SUV and scooped Brady into his arms, cradling her gently while holding her close.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hard. Unable to resist, she tangled her fingers in the silky strands of his hair and drew him closer. “I missed you,” she said between kisses.

“Obviously,” Sheppard muttered. “Look, do you mind?”

Brady laughed as Sheppard—completely forgotten only a few feet away—shuffled uncomfortably. Ronon gave her a look that promised he wasn't done kissing her before lowering her to her feet. Brady laced her fingers with his and drew him away from the SUV, toward the porch. Jane, Marshall, and Grammie G waited there while Jim came out of the barn, wiping his hands.

“You're the boyfriend, I take it,” he said, looking up at Ronon.

“I'm sure she greets everyone that way,” Marshall said, earning a thump from his grandmother.

“Shut up, Marshall,” Jim called, shaking his head with a reluctant smile. He held out his hand. “I'm her dad. Call me Jim.”

Ronon shook his hand and nodded. “Ronon Dex.”

“Dex, huh? What's that, Greek?”

“Sorta Mediterranean,” Sheppard said, stepping forward. “Hi. John Sheppard. I work with Brady.”

“She's mentioned you. Good to meet ya.”

“Likewise.”

“Guys, this is my mom, Jane,” Brady said, pointing as they went up the steps. “This is my Grammie G, and my kid brother, Marshall.” She poked Marshall's ribs to draw his gaze from Ronon, who he was staring at with a look of fascination. “Everybody, this is Ronon and Shep—well, I guess you can call him John.”

“Which one knocked you up?” Grammie G asked, smiling up from her crocheting. Sheppard pointed at Ronon as Jane gasped.

“Mother!”

“Grandma!”

“Well, hell, I was just curious. They're both good looking boys. I was just wondering which way Brady's tastes ran, tall or not-as-tall. Don't get your panties in a twist.”

“Can we stop talking about panties, please? For God's sake, show a little tact,” Jim muttered, pushing between Sheppard and Jane and heading into the house. “Where's Tracy?”

“She was on the phone to Larry when we came outside,” Jane said, following her husband. She looked over her shoulder. “You boys come on in. Marshall, go get--”

“Go get the luggage. Yeah, I know. I'm not a butler, you know.”

“I know. I don't pay you,” Jane said.

“Welcome to my house,” Brady whispered as she ushered Sheppard and Ronon inside.

“Cozy.” Sheppard smiled. “Everyone seems nice.”

Brady winced as her sister's voice screeched from the back of the house. “I'm not getting into this with you right now!” The sound of a phone slamming onto the receiver followed. Tracy stormed out into the hallway, stopping short when she saw she had an audience. Her cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat, pasting a cool smile onto her face.

“Guys, my sister Tracy. Tracy, Ronon and Sheppard.”

“John,” Sheppard corrected, stepping forward and shaking Tracy's hand. “Nice to meet you.”

“Likewise,” Tracy said. She raked her eyes over Ronon and her smile turned frigid. Ronon, never one to make nice just for the hell of it, met her gaze without emotion.

“John, I've got you in the guest room next to me and Jim, if that's alright.”

“That'll be fine. I'm actually good with a sofa if--”

“Nonsense,” Jane laughed, waving her hands. “Marshall's on the sofa. Ronon, sweetie, you'll be in with Brady.”

“I can share a room with Sheppard, if you want. I, uh, I heard parents don't like their children sharing beds.”

“Little late to think about that, isn't it?” Tracy muttered.

“Real classy, Trace,” Brady said hotly. “Just shut--”

“Okay, girls, don't start,” Jim interrupted. “Boys, why don't you come on out to the barn with me. These ladies will simmer down and get dinner fixed, then we'll all have a nice family dinner. Won't we, ladies?”

Tracy snorted and Brady crossed her arms, setting her chin in a way that had Ronon's lips curling. He recognized that look, and it would take an act of the gods to get Brady to concede.

“Won't we, lay-dees?” Jim repeated slowly, with a look that told Ronon exactly where Brady got hers.

“Yes sir,” the girls mumbled half-heartedly.

“Alright then. Come on, boys.”

Ronon bent to kiss Brady and followed Sheppard and Jim outside, scooting passed Brady's little brother—who was still looking at him funny.

–

“Dinner was…nice,” Ronon said as he helped Brady carry a stack of dirty dishes to the kitchen.

She snorted. “Dinner was a ball of awkward,” she said with a grin.

“What’s with your brother?”

“What do you mean?” she asked, running a sink of water.

“He just stares at me all the time. Said like three words the whole day, but always stares.” He passed her the plates.

“Maybe he thinks you’re hot,” she said with a shrug. He swatted the stream of water, sending drops flying at her. She whooped and picked up the sprayer, waving it threateningly. “Back, you,” she said, laughing.

He blocked the sprayer like it might’ve been a blaster, then took her wrist and spun her into his arms, pressing her back against his body. “Getting slow, bookworm.”

“I let you win.” She leaned her head back against his shoulder and sighed, drawing his arms around her middle. She smiled softly when his thumbs began smoothing circles over her protruding belly. They might have their moments when they got on each other’s nerves, but no one would ever convince her that Ronon would be anything but a perfect father. “I’m ready to go home,” she murmured.

“Aren’t you here?”

She shook her head. “My home’s back in San Francisco Bay, waiting to fly back to another galaxy. I love my family, but this isn’t me anymore. I haven’t been Brady Thatcher, Small Town Girl in a long, long time.” She covered his hands with hers. “Besides, if I don’t go home soon, I’ll probably take a shot at my sister. I can’t handle her shit with as much grace as I used to, even compared to last year.”

“You should make an effort to get along with your sister, Brady.”

“Ronon, she’s an overbearing—“

“I don’t care,” he interrupted. “You need to make peace with her, especially if you think we’re going back to Pegasus soon. Bitch or not, she’s your sister, and you shouldn’t leave things screwed up.”

“Why’s it up to _me_ to fix it?” she asked, a little miffed. “She could make an effort, ya know. A care package once every six or seven months—one that Mom probably makes her send—isn’t really an effort.”

“Do what you want,” he said dismissively, nipping at her ear. “I’m just offering my sage-like wisdom.”

“Since when are you so zen?”

“Amelia made me take Pilates with her after an…altercation with one of the SGC guards. Said it’d help relieve stress.”

“And did it?”

“Yeah. I was completely relaxed the next time I punched the guy.”

She tilted her head and arched a brow. “Did you get suspended? Is that why you were able to come?”

“Nah. O’Neill pulled some strings for me.”

The kitchen door swung open and Tracy came in with another load of dishes. She stopped short, noting their intimate embrace. With a look of practiced cool indifference, she slid past and deposited her load in the sink.

Ronon kissed the side of Brady’s neck and patted her hip. “I’m gonna go find John.” He pressed his mouth to her ear. “Behave yourself.”

She gripped his hand, silently trying to get him to stay, but he slid away with a twitch of his brows and an apologetic smile.

_Oh, you’re going to pay for this_, she thought, hoping he had a moment of psychic superpower. Clearly, he read the look in her eye and understood, because the smile slipped from his face and he looked contrite. But he still backed through the swinging door and left her alone in the kitchen.

Brady sighed and turned back to the sink, waiting for Tracy to scoot away and leave her be. Unfortunately, her sister seemed content to wash dishes alongside her.

“Listen,” Tracy began.

Brady inhaled slowly. Ah, crap. Tracy’s voice was quiet. She wasn’t attacking or giving her attitude, so Brady didn’t really have much choice except to listen, unless she wanted to seem like an a-hole.

“I know you don’t want to hear it, especially from me, but you need to hear it anyway.”

“What is it you think I need to hear, Trace?” she asked wearily.

Tracy dried her hands on a red dishtowel and turned to look at Brady. “I know you’ve got your big important job now, and that you’ve been grown a long time, but having a baby is a big deal, Brady.”

“C’mon Tra—“

“Just hush a minute. You think you know what you’re doing, but being a genius doesn’t mean anything when you become a mother. Your intellect isn’t going to help you when it’s three o’clock in the morning and your baby hasn’t been to sleep in two days. It’s not going to help when you get a call from the school saying your child fell off the jungle gym and broke its arm.”

“My intellect might not be a help, but Ronon will be. He’s going to be a wonderful father.“

Tracy shook her head. “He won’t be around, Brady.”

She scoffed a laugh, surprise covering any anger she knew she should feel. Again, Tracy was speaking quietly, her voice almost sad. “What are you talking about?”

“A man like Ronon—“

“Tracy, you’ve known Ronon for all of five hours. I’ve known him for almost five _years.”_

“I know his type, though. Young, attractive go-getter? Thinks he’s indestructible? That the world can’t touch him? Yeah. And the last thing a guy like that wants is a family holding him down.”

Brady might not’ve been home in a while, but she could read between the lines. “Are…are you talking about Larry?”

“I don’t want you hurt, Brady. I know I’m not your favorite person and you don’t want my advice because you’ve always been too smart, but you’re still my little sister.”

“Trace, Ronon is a great guy. Yes, he’s all the things you said, but he’s not going to leave me. We argue sometimes, but every couple does. He loves me, and he loves this baby. I promise, Tracy.” She reached out and squeezed her sister’s shoulder. Then the soft smile slipped from her face and she frowned. “What do you mean I don’t want your advice because I’ve always been too smart?”

“We both know you’ve never paid attention to me because you think you’re so much smarter than I am.” Tracy waved her hand and turned back to the dishes. “And, I mean, of course you are. But it would be nice for you to maybe act like I have a little sense now and then.”

“Uh…what?” Brady dropped her dish rag in the sink and planted her hands on her hips. “I’ve never treated you like you’re not smart.”

“Ha! Brady, you’ve never listened to my advice ever. Not even when we were kids.”

“That wasn’t because I thought I was smarter than you. That’s because you’ve always just given bullshit advice!”

“I happen to give great advice!”

“Sure you do, if your advisee is taking a hearty dose of Prozac!” She splashed a handful of water toward her sister.

“Oh! You little…” Tracy snatched the sprayer off the sink and shot Brady a face full of cold water.

Both girls shrieked in fury as they grappled for the hose and used cups to splash water on each other.

Jane came into the kitchen, followed closely by Grammie G and the others. “Have you girls lost your damn minds?” she shouted.

“Should I…?” Ronon started forward, but Grammie G grabbed his arm.

“Hold your horses, Jolly Green. This has been a long time coming.”

Brady dumped a mug of water over Tracy’s head and Tracy squirted water in her sister’s ear, making her screech. “You shithead!”

“Drink up, smarty pants!”

“Oh! Oh, wait. Wait wait,” Brady said, taking a step back. She took hold of Tracy’s hand, which earned her another mouthful of water. “Dammit, quit! Feel this.”

She placed Tracy’s palm flat against her stomach, eyes wide. Pushing sopping hair out of her eyes, she grinned as she felt a firm flutter beneath their hands.

Tracy replaced the sprayer and gasped. “Mom!” She waved Jane over. “C’mere!”

Jane, Grammie G, and Marshall carefully crossed the flooded kitchen and touched Brady’s belly. Jane promptly burst into tears at the feel of her grandchild kicking beneath her hand.

“Aw, gross!” Marshall said, wrinkling his nose. “It’s like you’re John Hurt on Alien!”

“It’s the miracle of life,” Grammie G said, swatting Marshall on the back of the head. She looked over her shoulder and jerked her chin at Ronon. “You feel this thing yet?”

“Every chance I get,” he said.

“Good boy.” Grammie nodded and walked back across the kitchen, patting Ronon’s chest as she passed.

“I’m glad you girls decided to put aside your differences and solve your problems like responsible adults,” Jim said with a sigh. He sat at the table and took a drink of his coffee. “Now, get the mop and clean up this mess.”

\--

Ronon sighed and stretched out behind Brady, smiling against her hair when she backed up against him. “Your family’s weird.”

“Yeah, I know.” She dragged his arm around her swollen middle and linked her fingers with his. “Mama wants to go baby shopping tomorrow. You up for it?”

He scoffed. “I’ve survived the Wraith for decades. I think I’ll be ok.”

“One Black Friday, Grammie G socked a woman in the teeth over a DVD player. Another time, my mom—my docile, gentle mom—nearly got in a foot race at Sam’s Club because they were having a blitz sale on laundry detergent.” She cackled. “So no, baby. The Wraith have nothing on a shopping trip with the Thatchers.”

Ronon turned his mouth to her skin, nipping her earlobe between his teeth. “I think I can handle it.” He grinned when she purred and arched against him like a cat. His palm smoothed over her stomach and up to caress her plump breast.

“Mmm. You got something on your mind, sir?”

“Thing or two,” he growled, kissing the side of her throat. He squeezed her breast and she inhaled sharply. He pushed up on one arm and rolled her onto her back. She smiled up at him and he brushed a lock of hair from her forehead. “You’re beautiful, you know that?”

“Are you drunk?” She giggled. “I’m passably cute, at best.”

“No, you’re beautiful.” He kissed her cheek, the tip of her nose, her lips.

“You know what I think?” she whispered. When he leaned up, she grinned. “I think there are way too many clothes between you and me.”

He closed his eyes and scoffed quietly. “Brady, your parents are just down the hall.”

“So?” She pushed him over and straddled his hips—admittedly, with a good deal less grace than she had once upon a time. “I’m pretty sure they’ve guessed that we’ve had sex before.” She waved her hands over her belly.

Ronon grunted and gripped her hips, shifting her over him. When she gasped and arched, he knew he was a goner. He sat up smoothly, pulling her shirt over her head and chucking it toward the door. She laughed wickedly.

“You’re so easy.”

\--

The Howertown Mall was a big, overwhelmingly cheery place filled with people. The three-story building had an open center with a stained-glass skylight that ran the length of the structure. Brady turned her face to the sun, enjoying the multicolored mosaic.

“Brady, there’s a Banana Republic on the second floor,” Tracy called. “I’m going to look for the kids something for school.” She checked her watch. “I’ve got to leave Mom’s around five to go home, so we only have a couple of hours.”

She glanced over her shoulder and nodded, having absolutely zero desire to go in a Banana Republic. “Ok, you guys go ahead. I’m going to hit the bookstore real quick.”

Tracy’s chest heaved with a sigh. “Well, that’s her gone for the day,” she said with a frustrated wave of her hand.

“Don’t get your panties twisted,” Grammie G said. She threw Brady a knowing wink and cranked her power scooter, nearly plowing over a Korean man selling sunglasses on her way to the elevator.

“I’ll catch up,” Brady promised Tracy.

“There’s a Gymboree by the Jamba Juice,” Jane said. “We’ll meet you there. I want to look for baby things. You guys going with us?” she asked Marshall and Ronon, who both looked like they’d rather have stayed at home with Jim and Sheppard.

“Hell no,” Marshall said, earning a whack on the head. “I mean, no ma’am.”

“We’ll see you in half an hour?”

“Sounds good,” Brady said. She sighed, turning back to the skylight for a moment. Then she shook herself and slapped on a smile, looking at Ronon and Marshall. “Bookstore?” She started past, hesitating when Ronon caught her hand. He linked his fingers with hers and peered down at her, those brown eyes assessing. “What?”

“What’s with you today?”

“What do you mean?”

“He probably means the fact that you’re one My Chemical Romance song away from being an emo kid,” Marshall chimed in.

Brady’s forehead furrowed. “I dunno. I’m fine. Seriously,” she insisted when Ronon arched a brow.

“You’re quiet.”

She clucked. “Please. It does happen occasionally, you know.”

He didn’t look entirely convinced, but let the matter drop. For now.

Truthfully, Brady wasn’t sure what was wrong. She just felt kinda melancholy all of a sudden. Maybe it was all the pretending to be normal she was having to do.

As she scanned the titles of the latest paperback romances, she thought about what might happen if she told her family about her job. Not that she ever would, of course, but the scenario made for interesting brain candy.

Her kindhearted, level-headed parents would never believe her, she was sure. Tracy would want to have her committed and probably have Brady’s name changed so there would be no link back to herself. Grammie G…well, Grammie G would most likely think Brady was using some sort of code for hooking or something. She never knew really what her grandmother was thinking.

She looked over at Marshall and smiled, glad she’d been able to tell her baby brother the truth. He thumbed through a Marvel graphic novel on the shelf next to the romances, engrossed in the story. Ronon stepped up beside Brady, glanced at the book covers, and then turned away with a snort before moving to the graphic novels.

“Hey alien boy,” a male voice called. “Where’d you park your spaceship?”

Brady whipped around, eyes wide. Three teen boys around Marshall’s age stood at the bookstore entrance.

“Are they talking to me?” Ronon whispered uncertainly.

Brady frowned at her brother. “Marshall? Tell me you didn’t—“

“Check it out, man,” one of the boys said. He adjusted his trucker hat. “He ain’t got nobody from his home planet to talk to, so he’s gotta hang out with old people.”

It was then that Brady noticed how stiff Marshall’s shoulders were, how pale his face. She turned to fully face the teenagers. “You boys got a problem?”

They smirked in that infuriating way teenagers did and muttered to each other before snickering nastily.

“We’re just talking to our friend, man,” Trucker Hat said innocently.

She strode forward, eyes narrowing as the teens tittered again. “See, I doubt your honesty. I think you’re probably bored, pampered a-holes who give my brother a hard time.”

“Yeah?” A kid with braces and an orange polo shirt—popped collar, of course—stepped forward. “Well I think you need to waddle on back to the North Pole, penguin.” He gave a honking quack sound, like a goose with tuberculosis, then mimicked Brady’s pregnant walk. His friends fell into raptures, laughing and “oh no he didn’t”-ing while Polo Shirt smirked.

Brady’s face pinched in confusion. “Seriously?” She planted her hands on her hips. “No, _seriously_? First of all, Skylar or Ashton or whatever stupid-ass preppy name you have, penguins are almost exclusive to the southern hemisphere. I’m sure even a mouth-breathing jizz stain like you—“ This earned groans and approving “oh no SHE didn’t”s from Polo Shirt’s friends— “can appreciate that the North Pole is not in the southern hemisphere.” She pointed a finger. “Instead of harassing your peers, why don’t you try picking up a book? Knowledge is power, _bro_.”

“You better take your finger out of my face before I sue your haggard ass for assault,” the kid said, straightening his shoulders in what she assumed was supposed to be a threat.

Trucker Hat crossed his arms and glowered, and the bean pole who made up the third in their group looked uncertain as to whether he was supposed to look mean or apathetic.

Brady’s lips curved and she shook her head. “Boys, I’m pregnant. I’m stressed. I’m dealing with shit right now that would give you cold sweats and night terrors. But if you think I couldn’t put all three of you on your asses, unconscious, in under twenty seconds, you are _sorely_ mistaken.”

Polo Shirt started toward her. _Big. Mistake_.

She heard the clump of Ronon’s boot as he took one single step. The three boys looked as if they’d only just noticed the giant was there. Bean Pole backed away first, out of the store and over to the guardrail. Trucker Hat gripped a handful of Polo’s shirt and tugged.

Polo Shirt saved face, turning his wide eyes from Ronon back to Brady, and clicking his tongue dismissively. “Haggard ass,” he scoffed, shaking his head. He turned and walked away, talking loudly and cursing at Bean Pole for leaving the bookstore.

Brady returned to her brother, who hadn’t put his graphic novel down.

“Those guys give you trouble often?” Ronon asked. His eyes followed the teens’ departure, then met Brady’s over Marshall’s head.

“Pretty much.” He casually flipped a page. “They’re assholes, but what can ya do? Gotta go to school, right? Besides, the second I graduate, I’m outta here. So it’s only a couple more years.”

“Mom and Dad know you get bullied?”

Marshall shrugged. “Everybody gets bullied.”

“They ever jump you or anything?” Brady was very concerned with Marshall’s cavalier attitude. He hadn’t looked up from his book once since the boys had spoken. He glanced up at her question, however, and snorted.

“It’s not _The Outsiders_, egghead. You aren’t gonna rumble in the park or anything.”

_That wasn’t a no._ She looked at Ronon, noted the way the muscle in his jaw worked. He’d picked up on it too. Their eyes met briefly, and he dropped an arm across Marshall’s shoulders.

“You ever had any fight training?” he asked, suddenly cheerful.

Marshall looked apprehensive. “…no…”

Ronon smiled. “Clear your schedule, pal. I’m going to teach you how to kick someone’s ass.”

“Babe,” Brady said, canting her head to the side. “You can’t teach military fighting techniques to a fifteen year old boy.” She looked at Marshall. “Can’t we just, like, get you a taser or something?”

“It’s fine,” Ronon insisted. “Nothing fatal, all right? Just some moves that’ll neutralize a threat.”

“That sounds pretty badass,” Marshall said. “I mean, I’m a lover by nature, not a fighter, but it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared, right?”

Ronon’s grin widened and his eyes gleamed. Brady closed her eyes, even as she felt herself smiling. Sheppard was going to have kittens when he found out she’d nearly gotten into it with a group of children and Ronon planned to teach Marshall things he taught seasoned marines. Poor, poor Shep.

That’s why he got paid the big bucks.

\--

“Look at this!” Back at the house, Brady held up the Dr. Seuss onesie for Sheppard to see.

He chewed his bottom lip, eyebrows raised. “Yeah, look at that! That’s…something. It’s Pretty. Or, ya know, cute.”

“You don’t really get excited about baby stuff, do you, Shep?” she asked with a smile.

“It’s not really my thing, no. Now, give me the kid when he’s five or six, we’ll throw the ball around, maybe watch some Star Wars…” He gave a tight-lipped smile. “I’m not really good during the stage with the leaking and the lack of eyebrows.”

“Me neither, but looks like I’m gonna get a crash course.” She folded the onesie and put it in the bag with the rest. She’d loaded up on baby basics—bibs, diapers, bottles, binkies, clothes (newborn to one year, in case she didn’t get to come home for a while once they got back to Pegasus), and a ton of dry formula. She picked out a stroller and carrier, but planned to buy a crib from the Athosians. Sheppard’s cell rang and she paused in her folding. “Is that work?”

Sheppard nodded. “You got somewhere I can take this?”

“Basement,” she said, jerking her chin toward a door off the kitchen. When Sheppard disappeared down the stairs, she sat at the table. Was this it? Were they going home? She could hear snatches of conversation, even through the heavy wooden door. It wasn’t like Shep to talk loudly. Concern gnawed at her. Something was wrong.

She quietly moved to the basement door, leaning against it to see if she could get some idea of what was going on.

“—not going to let that happen,” Sheppard was saying. “_Yeah_, but my team—“

“What’s going on?” Ronon asked.

Brady jumped, startled, but waved him to silence. “Shh!” She pressed her ear back to the door.

“—might as well be!” Sheppard said sternly. “We can’t let them—“ He groaned, and something clattered in the basement, as if he’d kicked a box or thrown something. “Fine. Fine. Yeah. Yes, I got it.”

Brady hurried away from the door, brushing past Ronon, who looked confused.

“What are you up to?”

“Me? Nothing.” She glanced at the door when Sheppard opened it. “What’s the word, Shep?”

“Woolsey.” His voice was hard, his words curt. “We leave for SGC tomorrow.”

“Why SGC? Why aren’t we going back home?”

His eyes skipped away and his jaw tightened. “They’re, uh…they’re reassigning personnel.”

Ronon frowned. “What’s that mean?”

“It means we report to SGC tomorrow.” Sheppard stalked from the kitchen. A moment later, Brady heard his footfalls on the stairs.

“He seems mad.”

“He is.” Brady swallowed and rubbed her belly. “Something’s not right. We should be going back to California. Our base of operation is Atlantis, not Cheyenne Mountain. There’s no reason—_reassignments_,“ she whispered. She shook her head. Surely…surely Woolsey wasn’t reassigning _her_.

“You’re doing that thing again, Brady.”

“What? What thing?”

“That thing where your mind runs away and you jump to conclusions.” He cupped her cheek and tilted her head back so she would look into his eyes. He brushed a thumb over her bottom lip—the one she was vigorously gnawing on—and raised his brows pointedly. “Don’t.”

“But—“

“But nothing.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear as his brows drew down. “You have to tell your family you’re leaving. I’ll get our things packed. Spend your last night here happy, Brady.”

She huffed and buried her forehead against his chest. “Is that more of your sage-like wisdom, ET?”

A chuckle rumbled in his chest and he dropped a heavy arm across her shoulders. “Figure if I’m gonna raise a child, I might as well practice with you.”

She jabbed a finger in his side, right below his ribs where he was ticklish, and was rewarded when he lurched to the side with a grunt.

“Witch.”

She tucked her tongue between her teeth and grinned. He ducked his head and gave her a smacking kiss, flashing his tongue over hers before pulling away and snatching up bags of baby stuff.

Brady watched him leave, a soft smile playing on her lips. With a quiet sigh, she went in search of her mom. Saying goodbye this time was going to be a little tougher, because she wasn’t sure how long it would be before she’d be coming back. The baby would be born, of course, and maybe even toddling. She’d have to up the volume of emails to everyone, that’s for sure.

Unless she wasn’t on Atlantis. Unless she was stuck in some random-ass base somewhere a hundred thousand miles away from anyone and anything she’d ever loved.

\--

“That’s a lot of tears,” Ronon whispered to Sheppard.

Brady sniffled and cut him a look. “Shut up,” she blubbered, squeezing her mom’s shoulders tighter. “I love you so muh-uh-uch!”

“I love you too, baby girl!” Jane pulled back and kissed Brady’s cheeks.

Brady moved on to Grammie G, who didn’t cry but was awfully wobbly-chinned, and then to her dad. Jim gave her a strong hug.

“You be good, girl,” he said, voice rough with emotion. He cleared his throat and shook Ronon’s hand. “Ronon, you seem like a good man. You take care of yourself, and take care of them.” He jerked his head at Brady and pulled Ronon close, but Brady still heard her dad’s deep growl. “You hurt my daughter in any way _ever_, and all the military training in the world won’t help you. You understand me, son?”

Ronon’s face was passive, but respect shone in his eyes. “I do.”

“All right, then,” Jim said with a smile and a nod.

Brady took a deep, hiccupping breath as she hugged Marshall. She’d miss her baby brother.

“Don’t get snot on my shirt.”

She laughed and lightly punched his shoulder. “You’re a butt.”

“Here,” he said, drawing something from his back pocket. “I cleaned this up for you. For the kid.”

Brady smiled and examined the dinosaur action figure she’d given Marshall when he was born. Spike, from _The Land Before Time._ Her eyes burned as tears filled them.

“Ah, jeez,” Marshall muttered.

She grappled him in for another hug and kissed the top of his head. “I love you, kid.”

“Of course you do,” he said. “It’s impossible not to.”

Sheppard stepped forward and shook Jim and Jane’s hands. “Thank you for having me,” he said. “Uh, Brady? We need to head out if we’re gonna make our flight.”

She nodded and inhaled, then gave her family a watery smile. “I love you guys. I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

“Call me when you land,” Jane said.

“I will.”

“And when the baby…” She pressed her fingertips to her lips.

Brady nodded, unable to speak. Ronon wrapped an arm around her waist, cradling her close as they walked to the SUV.

“You gonna be ok?” he asked quietly.

She nodded again. “Baby hormones,” she croaked. She held her breath, trying to stop her tears, but when Ronon climbed into the seat beside her and drew her into his lap, she gave up and cried herself out. “I’m sorry, guys,” she sobbed.

“Hey,” Sheppard said, slipping on his aviators. “You’ve got all kinds of baby stuff going on, so…you just do what you gotta do, and I’m gonna listen to the radio.”

Ronon stroked her thigh with one hand, rubbed soothing circles on her back with the other. “Carson said you’d probably be a little weepier than usual.”

“Yeah.” She sniffed and rested her head against his shoulder. “It blows.”

He smiled and turned his head, placing a kiss against her forehead before sliding from beneath her and buckling her seatbelt. He tucked her close and she curled against him, listening to his heartbeat until she drifted off to sleep.


End file.
